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When the Peugeot 3008 crossover arrived in 2008, the Nissan Qashqai's crown was under severe threat of being stolen. Since then, the 3008 has remained one of our favourite crossovers, despite a wide range of competition coming onto the market in the form of the Skoda Yeti, Kia Sportage and Mazda CX-5.

To keep it fresh, the 3008 was treated to a facelift earlier in 2014 with tweaks to the exterior styling to keep it in line with the rest of the Peugeot range, and a few minor changes inside to make it feel more expensive. The 3008 comes in four trim levels - starting with entry-level Access, moving up to Active, Allure and special edition Crossway.

Under the bonnet, the 3008 is available with six engines. For those looking for petrol power, there are 120bhp VTi and 155bhp THP 1.6-litre units, while diesel buyers have the choice between a 115bhp 1.6 HDi or 2.0 HDi with either 150bhp or 163bhp.

Finally there's the HYbrid4 diesel-hybrid model. This is powered by the 2.0-litre HDi 163bhp diesel engine couple to a 37bhp electric motor. This makes for 200bhp. CO2 emissions of 88g/km and a claimed 83.1mpg. Six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes are available on 1.6 HDi and 2.0 HDi 163bhp models.

Prices start at just over £17,000 for the entry level 1.6-litre petrol Access, and top out just under £30,000 for the top spec HYbrid4.

The 3008 isn't the most attractive crossover on the market compared to more recent rivals, but it remains a practical and competitively-priced option. However, it's beginning to feel dated now, even after a mid-life refresh.

Our choice: 3008 1.6 HDi Allure manual

Styling

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When the 3008 first arrived, its styling was slightly awkward and forgettable. Since then, a facelift brought it into line with the rest of the current Peugeot range with a smaller grille, slimmer headlights with LED strips and rear lights with Peugeot's new tiger-claw design. It has helped the 3008 stay fresh, but it still isn't the last word in crossover style especially compared to more recent rivals from Nissan and Mazda.

Inside, the 3008 has a driver-focused interior with a swooping grab handle and raised centre console. There's also a bank of toggle switches which control things like the head up display. These are nice additions, but the Volkswagen Tiguan and Nissan Qashqai feel more solid and less dated.

Driving

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The Peugeot 3008 performs well as a relaxing long distance cruiser. It won't provide an exciting driving experience through the corners, but the high-riding Peugeot feels smooth on bumpy British roads. The HYbrid4 model feels less cosseting, though, thanks to firmer suspension to cope with the extra weight.

The 1.6-litre VTi petrol is slow and requires some effort to get decent performance, so the diesels are our pick of the range. The 1.6 HDi is a little sluggish with a 0-62mph time of 13.6 seconds - this falls to 14 seconds if you choose the eco e-HDI version. The 2.0 HDI is much livelier with a sub-10 second 0-62mph sprint time.

The Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 was the first ever production car powered by both a diesel engine and electric motor. It’s incredibly efficient too. The 163bhp 2.0 litre-diesel engine cuts out and lets the 37bhp electric motor do most of the work in stop start traffic. Although noisy, it achieves a rapid 0-62mph time of 8.5 seconds.

Reliability

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As a manufacturer, Peugeot put in a much better 14th place performance in our 2014 Driver Power survey compared to its 31st position in 2013, which shows the brand is taking more care in the way they build their cars and deal with customers. The 3008 put in an average performance, placing in 69th position, with owners criticising the ride quality, running costs and in-car technology over everything else.

Although dealer service and the Peugeot 3008’s build quality have improved, reported electrical faults mean it’s not as reliable as the Nissan Qashqai or Volkswagen Tiguan.
As for safety, the Peugeot 3008 scored a full five-star Euro NCAP rating when it was crash tested back in 2009, with 86 per cent for adult occupant protection and an impressive 97 per cent in the safety assist category.

Six-airbags, seatbelt reminders, an electronic parking brake ESP and Isofix mounting points for child seats are standard. Higher up the range, the 3008 can be specced with Grip Control to assist in trickier road and weather conditions.

Practicality

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Thanks to the shape of the 3008, practicality is a strong point for this crossover. Three passengers can sit comfortably in the back because of the long wheelbase and high roofline. Up front, the glovebox is tiny, but the huge door pockets and large storage compartment in the centre console make up for this.

The boot is a decent 512 litres, beating that of many of its rivals. The false floor splits three ways so there are plenty of combinations to suit a variety of loads. With the rear seats folded, loadspace increases to 1,604 litres. The Hybrid4 is slightly less practical because of the batteries, but total loadspace still tops out at a generous 1,435 litres.

Running Costs

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The most efficient engine in the range is the diesel-electric HYbrid4. This returns 85.6mpg on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 85g/km. The normal diesel engines are much cheaper than the hybrid model, but are almost as green.

The 1.6 HDI with EGC automatic gearbox can return 67.3mpg on the combined cycle while emitting just 110g/km of CO2. Even the punchier 2.0 HDI manages 53mpg and 139g/km.

The diesels will cost you more to insure than the petrols and have shorter service intervals, but are worth the extra outlay for the improved refinement and running costs.

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Submitted by alan taylor on Fri, 2012-07-13 16:24.

After living with a diesel auto zafira for three years,which let us down twice, stranding us badly. Our first and last Vauxhall. We bought a Peugeot 3008 diesel auto, friends tut-tutted, but after 12 months trouble free ownership, we are very pleased with it. A pleasure to drive, easy to park and over 600miles on a tankful in comfort. Brill!

Submitted by Andrew on Sat, 2014-05-24 16:55.

Our British roads feel smooth? Really. WORST car I have ever had. Jerks as it pulls away. Jittery drive on British road. Stop start has never worked consistently, sometimes it works, other times for months it won't work at all. Passenger seat is completely different in comfort level to the drivers. Centre glove box opens only so the passenger can access it (ie left hand drive drivers side).

Submitted by Katmanify on Sun, 2014-06-01 21:04.

I rented one for a few days in Scotland last month. First thing that happened is the sun visor came off it's mounting as I tried to fold it down. This, a car with less than 5k on the clock. Overall I couldn't wait to return it.

Submitted by Gordon Wanless on Mon, 2014-06-02 14:17.

Can ANY CAR BEAT THE DACIA RANGE??

Submitted by anthony perkins on Mon, 2014-06-09 06:54.

This is a useful and practical spacious car;good for three adults in the back decent large boot and well equipped for comfortable motoring.

Submitted by E Monk on Sat, 2014-06-28 08:57.

What, so a piece of trim comes off in a rental car and that's made up your mind?